The Mentalist s03e08 Episode Script

Ball of Fire

Three bounces, into this cup.
- Three bounces.
- He could do it.
Won't happen.
You, kiss goodbye to your cash.
- Whoa! - Ooh! - Nice.
- Never any doubt.
A little skill I picked up working the night shift at San Diego.
Thank you.
- You wanna go again? - Nope.
Oh, do I hear a chicken? Van Pelt? Line two.
O'Laughlin.
Thanks.
- Go ahead.
- What? You always say something when O'Laughlin calls.
There's nothing to say.
I'm over it.
What have you done with Wayne Rigsby? Hey.
Anybody see Jane? - Where are you? - I'm boosting team morale.
People are bored.
It needs to be addressed.
People are bored because nobody has been killed that needs our help.
It's a good thing when homicide detectives are bored.
Why are you calling to find out where I am? I get nervous when I don't know where you are.
- What do you mean, "boosting morale"? - I'm buying fresh fruit.
Clears away the cobwebs, chases away the blues.
- Oh, good.
Get me a Red Delicious.
- Okay.
- Let's go.
We're going.
Come on.
- Okay.
Okay.
Golden Delicious is fine if they don't have-- Lisbon.
I'm in trouble here.
Lisbon.
- How long ago did you get the call? - Thirty-five minutes.
- Witnesses? - 911 had some callers.
- CHP's rounding them up for us now.
- Jane? No sign.
About a dozen 9 mm casings, three in the victim.
Got two .
380 casings here.
Looks like one hit.
The guy runs a fruit stand.
What's he doing with a .
380? - Probably been held up more than once.
- Not this time.
Register's full.
There's a blood trail heading into that direction.
Whoever the grocer shot went to the barn after he took the bullet, kicked in the door.
- Jane was there, so they were after him.
- Boss, CHP rounded up the 911 callers.
- Harold Keel, he made the first call.
- You see the shooting? No.
Just saw two guys in the lot.
One of them had a gun.
He was trying to shove the other guy into the trunk of his car.
- Can you describe them? - The guy with the gun had a sweatshirt with the hood up.
And the other guy was smaller, in a suit.
No, not really a suit, but like a vest.
- Your name? - I'm Sherry Winger.
I heard the shots.
- You didn't see anything? - I heard them while driving by.
A minute later, a car booked past me going about a hundred.
- Took the exit ramp going north.
- What did the car look like? Sedan.
Brownish yellow.
- Get a look at the license plates? - I think it was blue and purple.
That's an Arizona plate.
I'm on it.
- Sergeant? - Yeah.
We need roadblocks a hundred miles north looking for that car.
Also, an aircraft checking out sideroads.
Have one of your men stay with the witnesses.
- Make sure their licenses are clean.
- You got it.
- We need the FBI on this.
- I'll make the call.
If Jane were here, he'd make some snarky remark about something we missed at the crime scene.
So? What is it? Hands out.
That looks pretty painful.
- Shut up.
- I could help make that hurt less.
- Right.
- Hey, what is this about? - Why am I here? - Ugh.
Hey.
Hey.
- CHP's got nothing on the roadblocks.
- Keep checking.
Don't wait for them to report.
Phone company's sending Jane's records.
We need to know who he was talking to and what he was talking about.
- Feels weird.
He'd hate it.
- He'll hate it more if we don't find him.
- Teresa.
It's about Jane.
- Can't talk press now, Brenda.
- What? - I'm hearing from reporters.
The shutdown is getting attention.
There are rumors a CBI employee was killed.
- For God's sakes.
- Give me something to shut them up.
We don't know anything.
Don't say anything.
- That just makes it worse.
- It's ongoing.
No comment.
Hey, Lisbon.
You remember Agent O'Laughlin.
- You're the liaison? - Any assistance the FBI can offer you let me know.
You think this was Red John? I don't see any of the signs of it.
Red John is efficient.
This was sloppy.
Well, it could be deliberate.
Red John already took Jane once and let him go.
Why would he take him again? Who knows why he does what he does? If he takes him a second time, I don't think he's coming back.
Let's just assume it's not him until we hear something otherwise.
Rigsby, where are we with the license plate? Got a list of cars that have been stopped in-state.
Getting the names now.
- Cho, ballistics? - Dead end.
- No matches from the casings we found.
- Help Rigsby run the Arizona names.
- Already am.
- Teresa, I need a statement.
- You already have my statement, Brenda.
- What's this about? If we don't say something, there's gonna be rumors and lies out there.
- That's fine with me.
- Not with me.
- Does Jane have money? - Uh, just enough to use.
- He doesn't care about money.
- This probably isn't for ransom.
Whoever did this is motivated - anger, revenge.
- Yeah.
- It would probably be a good idea - to get Jane's name out in the media.
- Right.
Humanize him.
Let them know we're looking for him.
We shouldn't until we know something.
I'm sorry, but that is not your call.
Okay, Brenda, CBI Consultant Patrick Jane has been taken by person or persons unknown.
We're investigating and conducting an extensive search in the area.
- Okay? - That'll work.
- Hey.
Are you working this? - Sorry I didn't get a chance to call.
- It's okay.
I'll find you later.
- Right.
We didn't need to share this with the public.
Yes, we did.
And, Teresa, not saying something doesn't mean that something isn't happening.
I know.
So can you give me a rundown on his enemies? You mean the bad guys or cops, lawyers? He messed with cops that badly? Oh, yes, but I don't think a cop will come after a citizen over Jane.
So, what about his personal life? Family, friends, lovers? He's a loner.
We're his family, pretty much.
I went through Jane's calls.
- They're all case-related.
Nothing else.
- Look further back.
Didn't one of Jane's old psychic clients come after him? Yeah, we're going through his client list.
But why come after him now? It's been so long since he was in that game.
Right.
Which leads us to the inevitable conclusion.
I think someone Jane put away is getting back at him.
Maybe they've been released, maybe they're reaching out from prison.
We need to go through every case Jane's worked since he came to the CBI.
Van Pelt, start digging.
Whoever did this has probably been unhappy a long time.
Everything okay? You said you could make it hurt less.
Sure, I could do that.
What did you mean by that? Pain's in the mind.
And that's my specialty.
- You got some kind a pill on you? - No.
No.
Just relax.
Look at me.
Let my voice take the place of the pain.
Feel the pain getting smaller.
Feel the pain going away.
It's folding in on itself.
Folding.
And you're feeling relaxed and calm.
Hello, Patrick.
Do you remember me? Maybe.
That means you don't.
No, that just means that I have difficulty talking when someone is pointing a gun at me.
Why? - Does it make you scared? - Yes, it does.
I don't like being bullied.
Please put the gun down.
Mm-mm, I like the look on your face too much.
Then just take a photograph.
Please put the gun down.
Uh, if you're gonna kill me, you would've already.
Whatever you want, you're not gonna get it unless you put the gun down.
Thank you.
You don't remember me, do you? Is that strange? Given the way you're carrying yourself I'd be surprised if your own mother recognized you.
Hmm.
My mother died when I was born, so you're probably right.
Sorry.
Bad choice.
Little harsh on your colleague there.
Who cares about him? I can't believe this.
You're here.
I mean, you're really-- You're really here.
Yep, I'm here.
Hmm.
So, what's the plan, Rachel? So you do know who I am.
How many motherless 23-year-olds with a slight pigeon-toed stance and a hint of a New England childhood in their voice do you think I've met? It was a trick, then, the comment about my mother, heh.
- You are a sly one, Mr.
Jane.
- This is about your father, isn't it? We're not going to talk about this.
We can talk about whatever you wanna talk about.
- We're not gonna talk, period.
- Okay.
I know what you do when you talk.
That gentle hand on their shoulder the long look in their eyes.
You're not doing that to me.
- I don't know what you're talking-- - You think I'm stupid.
You think everybody's stupid.
You're wrong.
No.
You don't even know what's going on here.
I am going to kill you.
- Oh! - But I'm going to hurt you first.
I have to take my medication now.
And everyone at CBI is hoping and working for the safe return of our friend and colleague.
We also extend our condolences to the family of Norberto Rivera who died trying to help Mr.
Jane.
The CBI is offering a $10,000 reward for anyone providing information leading to the return of Mr.
Jane.
We're gonna put up a phone number.
We encourage anyone with relevant information to call.
Thank you.
These are Jane's cases.
We need a disposition on each case.
Is the suspect in jail? Where are they? Look for anything that sticks out.
- Okay.
- More cases? Complaints.
I went down to the officer at Community Relations and asked if they had a file.
- Looks like more than one.
- Ugh, he has his own cabinet.
Have Bob have his juniors help you do a preliminary search.
- I'll clear it with Hightower.
- Got something.
CHP got a call from a rancher.
One of his workers saw a car on a private road that runs through his land.
Farmhand approached, driver waved a gun at him.
That's south of where Jane was taken.
The witness said north.
- I'll get Wilton P.
D.
to check.
- You go.
O'Laughlin, you mind going with him? We've already had one person taken today.
Until we know what's going on, I don't want anyone going alone.
- Sure.
- Let's go.
- Thanks for coming along.
- No problem.
Second set of eyes.
Always good.
Yeah.
I'll drive.
- Aren't you working Jane's case files? - Ugh.
Lisbon wants me to go through his desk first.
Not that any of this is getting us anywhere.
You ever seen where he keeps the key? - No.
- Ugh.
I'll get Tech Services to have them pop the lock.
That will take too long.
Here.
Thanks.
Don't tell Jane I did that.
Okay.
Cough drops.
Super-glue.
Clippings.
Pfft.
- Big help.
- It figures.
Jane's not gonna keep anything important in the office.
- Wait, there's something else in here.
- What do you mean? It's taped to the top of the drawer.
You think he's dead? Cho.
Who? Hey, boss.
Call for you.
Linus Wagner from county jail.
Line two.
- Linus Wagner? - He says it's about Jane.
Who's Linus Wagner? He's this creepy doctor that Jane put away a couple years ago.
He killed two people and tried to make it look like Red John did it.
This is Lisbon.
Agent.
Dr.
Linus Wagner.
How are you? What's this about? I happened to see on the TV in our recreation area the announcement about Patrick Jane.
Very sorry to hear it.
I hope he's all right.
Yeah, I'm sure.
Do you have information about him? Yes.
Yes, I think I may.
Why don't you come out here and we can talk about it? Just tell me.
No, you should come.
It's complicated.
- Mr.
Mendoza? - Yeah? Wayne Rigsby, CBI.
You called CHP about the car? - That's right.
- You could've mentioned it was on fire.
Well, it wasn't.
Not then.
One of my hands saw a car on our road with a guy holding a gun so I called the cops.
Later, I saw smoke, so I called the fire department.
Could have given us a heads-up.
Why? You guys put out fires? Your guy get a look? Could he give us a description? No.
Uh, he said he was wearing a sweatshirt with the hood up.
- Thanks.
- I've got nothing.
You? Nope, ugh.
California plates.
Second thing the witness got wrong.
Typical.
They must have brought Jane here and switched to another car.
Yep, it's stolen.
Forensics can sift the ashes.
We should get back to the office.
Rigsby? What people don't realize is, when they torch a car the gas tank goes first.
Whole thing burns back to front.
The trunk gets incinerated, but sometimes stuff up front survives.
The car's stolen.
Paperwork's useless.
The guy who took Jane got shot, right? So he's driving and he's bleeding.
He's looking for something to put on the wound.
What do people do when they're looking for something in the glove compartment? Heh.
This we take to Forensics.
Huh, a fingerprint.
No need.
- Hold it up.
- Why? Bureau techs can scan the image into AFIS.
If he's in the system, we'll have an ID in 10 minutes.
Nice catch.
Yeah.
Thanks.
The print Rigsby found matches a guy named Fred Kittel.
A thug out of Yuba City.
Arrests for assault, armed robbery and attempted murder.
- Jane connection? - Can't see one.
He wasn't involved in Jane's cases.
He's never been questioned by CBI.
So very likely he's a hired hand.
Somebody checking his residence? Yuba City P.
D.
went.
Say it's empty, stripped.
- They're circulating his picture.
- Okay.
Check his family, running buddies, cellmates, employers.
Gotta be a connection.
Thank you.
Thank you for making the trip, agent.
Why am I here, Wagner? - I do hope we can be cordial.
- What's this information? I've been in contact with the person behind Jane's disappearance.
Who's that? First things first.
What do you want? I don't know if you've kept up with my trial.
It was long and tedious.
Unfortunately it concluded with my conviction on two counts of first-degree murder so the death penalty is an option.
It sounds about right.
Sentencing is in a few weeks.
The judge might be convinced to choose something lesser.
Life in prison, say.
Preferable from my point of view but I need people to testify on my behalf.
To ask for clemency.
And who better than a CBI agent? Clemency? On what possible grounds? For compassion's sake, and humanity more than any particular personal worth I might have.
Although I did do a great deal of good in my time, as you know.
- There are villages in Africa-- - You killed and mutilated two people.
I'm aware of that.
If you help us with Jane we can help make your life easier in here.
Agent, I'm about to be put on death row.
Do you really think I care about extra soap and cheeseburgers? Your friend Jane is very clever but I don't think he realizes the rageful feelings his trickery can provoke.
I felt that rage.
I've thought of various unpleasant things I would do to him.
And right now, someone is acting on thoughts like those.
Aren't you worried about what's being done to him? There are things so much worse than killing a man.
You can go to hell.
And when they kill you, I'm gonna be there to watch.
Come on.
I will tell them that you helped on a case and asked for clemency.
But only if your information brings Jane back alive.
- I don't control that.
- I don't care.
I've done a lot of writing in here.
The bountiful free time.
A while back I published an article in an online journal about emotional trauma and its effect on the psyche.
It included some observations on Jane.
Not long after, I got a letter from a young woman who claimed to be a graduate student in psychology.
She said she was researching Jane.
But she didn't know a lick about psychology.
She was, however, obsessed with Jane.
And exceedingly hostile toward him.
What's her name? You, uh.
You planning on doing anything about him? No.
It's not very hygienic.
Maybe you can just shove him in a corner before he starts to smell.
- I mean, I'd do it myself but-- - No.
Fine.
That smell gets in your drapes, you're never getting it out.
- You think everything's funny.
- Just the funny things.
You never feel guilty, do you? I feel guilty every minute of every day.
See? You did it, heh.
You got me talking again.
Trying to mess with my mind.
It's abusive, what you do.
You use people.
Like toys.
No thought for the damage you do the people you hurt.
- I'm sorry about your father.
- Maybe you think you are.
- I am.
- No, you're not yet.
You will be.
You ever see a rancher use a cattle prod? No.
No, Rachel.
Cattle can be stubborn.
Takes a real jolt to get them going.
Must hurt.
You'll have to let me know.
No.
So Wagner says Sherry Winger was after Jane? The girl who was the witness? I thought CHP checked her out.
Now they're saying the license and registration are fakes.
Top-dollar forgeries.
Never would've caught it without a second look.
So do we have any idea who Sherry Winger really is? Or where she is? No.
The only thing we know for sure is that she hated Jane.
Linus gave me copies of letters she wrote.
- I gave the originals to Forensics.
- Why would she show up at the scene? Seems like the last place she'd want to be.
Misdirection.
Gives us the wrong plate we head north instead of going south.
- I've read something by this person.
- You sure? There are phrases I've seen before.
This one calls Jane a "coyote-like trickster.
" And in one of these.
Here.
In this one, calls Jane "a trickster, a coyote.
" - Who wrote that letter? - The daughter of Don Bowman.
Get a copy of Sherry Winger's license.
- Who's Don Bowman? - Case from three years ago.
Insurance company executive.
He was writing fake policies.
Company auditor found out, so Bowman killed him.
- That's Bowman.
- And Jane put him away? He had a daughter.
Rachel, 19.
He was a single father - she idolizes him, he adored her.
- Okay.
Jane forges a letter to Bowman under Rachel's name claiming she's discovered proof he committed the murder.
Doesn't know whether to go to the police or kill herself.
So Bowman races to his daughter.
He did it all for her, she needs to keep the secret.
- And Jane has you there? - Got the whole conversation on tape.
Don Bowman and Fred Kittel were imprisoned at Corcoran at the same time.
- Connection.
- Bowman couldn't be behind this.
- Why not? - Dead.
Died in prison about a year ago.
Bowman's dead, but his daughter isn't.
- That the license picture? - Hmm.
Look at this.
Let me see that.
Rachel Bowman.
Sherry Winger.
Miss Rachel's had some work done.
But that's her.
- Get her address, fast.
- Okay.
You didn't know that my father died in prison, did you? No.
Of an infection.
Do you know how incredibly stupid that is? Simple antibiotics could have saved him but a prison hospital, it's a nightmare in there.
They just let him die.
But you killed him.
Your anger is misplaced.
Oh, really? You can't be angry with your father, so here I am.
Don't you dare say that.
My father loved me.
He took care of me, provided for me.
I'm all he ever cared about.
Yes, you are.
- And he wouldn't want you doing this.
- Mm.
I think he would be very proud.
He loved me so much and you made me betray him.
When you were talking to me asking about me and my dad? I thought that you were actually concerned.
I mean, I thought that you liked me.
Do you want me to be sorry? Okay.
I am sorry.
I'm sorry that the loss of your father drove you mad.
But I don't regret what I did to him.
He was a thief and a murderer.
And I did everything I could to catch him because that's who I am.
- Set? - Yeah.
Go.
- Clear.
- Clear.
Kitchen, clear.
Second story, clear.
House is empty, dust everywhere.
Looks like she's been gone for weeks.
- Basement? - Nothing.
Let's get Forensics in here.
Look for anything that'll tell us where she went.
And get somebody to turn off that damn alarm.
There's somebody in my house.
I gotta go.
- I'll be back.
- Rachel.
Can you please move that thing? Please.
Please, the stench is unbearable.
Over there.
Anywhere.
Just please-- Please move him.
Thank you.
- Unh.
- Smell that.
Sorry, pal.
We got a line on Fred Kittel's dad.
A place south of Diamond Springs.
- You and O'Laughlin go talk to him.
- Sure.
I'm going to the office.
I wanna look in Rachel Bowman's file.
All right.
I'll hold down the fort here.
- Jane, where are you? - Not Jane, agent.
Just so you know, I'm looking right at you.
Everything will be all right if you do exactly as I say.
If not, Jane will be dead in 15 minutes.
Clear? Clear.
Drive another hundred yards and stop at the café.
Take your gun out of its holster, place it on the seat.
Get out of your car and close the door.
Walk away.
Fifteen minutes, agent.
Now walk down the street and come to the gas station.
Let's go see Patrick.
I want two choppers in the air and a one-square-mile perimeter secured around this site.
No car leaves this area without being searched.
Not one.
We have no ID on any vehicle.
The suspect is female, early 20's, blond, about 5'7".
She has at least one hostage possibly two.
Give me a second.
Hey.
The office said something happened to Lisbon.
We think Rachel took her about 20 minutes ago.
- She got Lisbon.
- When? Just now.
Should we come back? Do you want Rigsby and O'Laughlin back? No.
Tell them to finish what they're doing.
Hightower says no.
- Wayne.
- I know.
I know, Grace.
It's gonna be okay.
All right.
Bye.
Mr.
Kittel, this is the police.
Come out with your hands up.
Mr.
Kittel.
CBI.
Hello? - Mr.
Kittel, put the gun down.
- No way, I ain't.
- Put it down now.
- Hell, no.
- You got no right to be here.
- We just wanna talk.
Fine.
Talk yourselves on out of here.
Go on.
Get out.
Go on.
All right.
This is how it's gonna go.
On the count of three, I'm gonna shoot you in the head.
- Rigsby-- - That's my deal.
Put the gun down, or, on three, I shoot you in the head.
You ready? - One.
- Let's take it easy, okay? Two.
- Three.
- Okay.
Okay.
What do you have to be such a hard-ass for? Freddy? I haven't seen Freddy in six months.
I couldn't tell you anything about that son of a bitch.
Do you know what he was doing? Who he was in contact with? What he was doing? Last time I saw him, what he was doing was smoking weed and looking at porn on my laptop.
Any idea how we can get in touch with his friends? No, thank God.
Night crawlers, all of them.
There is one good thing that he did for me recently.
- He pissed off my ex.
His mother.
- Heh.
How did he do that? Oh, she don't talk to him for months.
He shows up sweet-talks her into giving him the keys to the family's hunting cabin and then he splits with all the Xanax.
Oh, I tell you, I had a laugh.
Where is this cabin exactly, Mr.
Kittel? - Go.
- I'm going.
I'm going.
Oh, visiting hours.
- Hey, Lisbon.
- Hands.
What's the plan? I get to watch Lisbon die like you watched your father die? - That's right.
- What? That's what I thought.
I've been smelling gas.
Burning the place? - That's right.
- Think about this.
- Oh, I have.
- Oh, she certainly has.
- You're never gonna get away with it.
- You'll never know if I do or don't.
Lisbon, I'm sorry.
This is my fault.
I will not let you burn alive, as God is my witness.
Goodbye.
Rachel.
Rachel, wait.
Rachel! - You're wasting your energy.
- You have a better idea? It just so happens that I do.
Where did you get that? Him.
I was hoping to unlock my handcuffs but, uh, no luck.
Well, what are you gonna do? You're not gonna like it.
Help! Help! Help! Help! What did you do? I said I wouldn't let her burn.
This way she won't suffer.
- Ha-ha-ha.
- Son of a bitch.
You think I won't hurt you more? - I can do this all night.
- Aah! - Oh! - Ung! Get the gun.
Get it! Get the gun! To hell with this.
You all right? Uh.
I think I need a shower.
Rigsby.
- Hey.
- Hey.
I'm heading out, and, uh, I just wanted to say it was a good day.
Yeah.
"I'm gonna kill you on the count of three" was a little out of the box.
Ha, ha.
Heh, well, it worked.
Yeah, it did.
Look, what I really wanted to say is, uh, I hope we're cool.
You know, because you did some outstanding work.
Yeah.
Yeah, we are.
Appreciate that.
- Okay.
- See you around.
- O'Laughlin.
- Yeah? Don't hurt her.
- Or what? - Or you'll have to deal with me.
Whoa.
Unh.
- You okay? - Good.
Thank you.
You're looking a little creaky.
Yeah.
Well, a cattle prod will do it to you.
Oh, the doctor says there's no lasting effects.
Well, that doctor should try it himself sometime.
Well, that was a big smile.
Of course I'm glad you're back.
But I'm also glad we finally solved one without you.
You were kidnapped and delivered to me.
- That counts as solving one? - Hightower and the team found us.
If I hadn't held off Rachel, they'd have found us dead in a burned-down house.
- Oh, you held off Rachel? - Yeah.
- Where's my apple? - Your what? My apple.
I asked you to get me an apple.
I come through the valley of death and you think about your stomach.
- A piece of fruit.
An apple.
- That's right.
Yes.
- That's just selfish.
- Selfish? - Yes, it is.
- Me, selfish? You're on my couch.
I'm trying to have a cup of tea.
Have you finished? You called me creaky.
I've been cattle-prodded all week.
I wanna have a rest and a cup of tea and sleep.
I wish I had a cattle prod.

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